The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1887-12-20

bles and Representatives sitting together.
How comes it that four gentlemen the Min
istersl sit opposite me and Join in the actions
of this House? Are they Mobiles? Are they
Representatives? No, they are the Cabinet.
They have right to sit in this House, under
Article ~. Does Article ~, then, contradict
Article a. or does il explain it2 1t certainly
does one or the other. I hold that it simply
explains. The gentlemen before me sit as
representatives of His Majesty. 1t is through
them that he exercises his Legislative power.
Again, Article 42 says ''the Cabinet hold
seats e.r o6icio, in the Legislature. with the
right to vote, except on question of want
of confidence in them" There is absolutely
only one class of questions then on which
they msy not vote, and that embraces ques-
tions of want of confidence in them, and
nothing more. Yet Article 4S plainly implies
that they may not vote on the passage OF
bill without the Royal signature. The nat
ural and necessary inference from this, IS
that the Cabinet is responsible for the exer-
else of the so-called veto power. If they ex-
ercise that power and the Legislature votes
them down on it, two to one, then 1t IS GER
tainly time for them to step downFnd out.
Article IS explains how they can be held re-
sponsible; for it Is utterly unreasonable to
hold any set of men responsible for acts not
their own. Wherever by the Constitution
any Act is to be done or performed by the
mig OE Tue OONeTCl1l IL Sildil, uLllCSo OthCA-
wise expressed. mean that such Act shall be
done and performed by the Sovereign by
and with the advice and consent of his Cab
met" This is the KEY TO the whole consti-
tutional question, and | shall not discuss 1t
further.
Mr.. President, nearly all of Us are repre-.
sentatives of those who took part IN and car
RED forward the movement of the Both of
June and the early days of July. Those who
spoke so fervently and those who applauded
so heartily at 'the great mass meeting" and
those who sustained the movement In other
districts, are our constituents. To-day they
demand of US that we maintain the primer
pies which they then established. We must
not prove false to our great trust. Only one
thing more. Where political power is exer-
cised the people will hold the person who ex-
ercises it responsible, no matter what
written constitution or written law may say
about it. We had an illustration of that on
the 30th of June. man who, by the Con-
stitution, could not be held accountable for
his actions, was then and there called to ac-
count at the bar of public opinion. And
whoever yields political power in this LAND,
will be held responsible for it, either at the
bar of this House, or in the courts of justice,
or at the bar of public opinion. We cannot
have another 30th of June. We cannot have
another 1st of July. The occurrences of
those days will never be repeated. ANY at
tempt III Iudl line VIII DtlIS dDOul ItolhlS
disastrous in the extreme. We must guard
against whatever looks toward such thing.
For the sake of our constituents and for the
sake of our King, we ought to take firm
stand now and avert future disaster and
maintain the peace of the land.
Noble Smith said-Tnis is a question Of
the right of the King to act in defiance of
his Cabinet and of the majority of the Leg
islature of acting on vital matter. He
has attempted to exercise the veto" power
against the advice of his Ministers. This Is
clearly contrary to the Constitution. The
veto power of the President OF the United
States has been referred to. Mr.. President
the power of the President of the United
States has no such irresponsible power AS
the King seeks to exercise The President
of the United States is elected by the people
for definite period of four years, and II he
has not satified the people he is not permit
ted to occupy the executive seat again.
While he is the President he is the execu-
tive. But how is his power held responsible
to the people? Not only by the power of
Congress 10 pass the law over a veto by
two-thirds vote but he is liable to impeach-
ment at any time.
Our King is not liable to impeachment.
His power sis inviolable and sacred" He
cannot be held responsible in court. The
President of that Great Republic of sixty
millions is liable as any citizen.
we nave pldCeu our mig dDOfo ItSpOLSl-
billy, Init for the protection of the people
we have given him authority only in con-
junction with Ministers who are responsible,
Ministers whom the people can remove at
any time.
1t is the highest loyalty to seek to save the
King from the result of the bad advice he
has received. 1t is loyalty to the throne,
loyalty to tho people and loyalty to our
selves.
Those who desire to perpetuate the autono-
my and independence of this Kingdom must
demand that responsible government he
maintained. Responsible government means
accountability to the people.
The King Is accountable only through the
Ministers. His person sis inviolable and
sacred" His Ministers ''are responsible"
If he has the power to veto a bill III def
ance of his Ministers, he has the power to do
every other act in defiance of them, and
Article IS of the Constitution Is meaningless.
He can suspend the writ of habeas corpus,
make treaties, coin money, ETC., and becomes
the sole executive power. Notwithstanding
Article 81 of the Constitution, which states
ITO the King and the Cabinet belongs the
executive power"
1t is the old conflict of the throne reach
ing after prerogatlYes in opposition to par
lament. 1t is the hopeless contest which
arbitrary and despotic rulers have waged
with the people.
II 10 uOpSl6SSi 1OI tue pSOplS Will pISNdA
in the end.
The King has been influenced by unwise
and irresponsible advisers.
1t is the hight of folly and madness. If
this course is persisted in, the result is as
certain as the triumph of right and freedom.
The principles of responsible government
will be maintained, and every obstacle will
be removed.
OF all persons the Hawaiians in this House
should pause and ponder, and with every
power seek to influence the King to recon
slider his action and recall his ill-advised
step. Their hope, the national existence of
the Hawaiian people, depends on the pre-
servation of responsible government.
The merits of the bills which were returned
to the House are lost from view in the mag
nitnde of the issue involved in the course
adopted by the King
There was no uncertainty as to the mean
ing of the demand of the people on the Both
of June that he will not interfere with the
constitutional administration of his Oabi-
net"
There was no uncertainty in the Kings
response "We reply that the specific
pledges required of us are each seyerally &C
ceded to-
There is no uncertainty as to the meaning